Aviator

And some people feel the world owes them a living and employees can do what they like and employers have to lump it. Employees have a choice, as the poster earlier made, the conditions were not what they wanted or expected to have to do, so they left. If too many employees leave, conditions change or the company goes out of business.

If a contract exists then there is recourse for the employee, next to none for the employer, an employer has to give notice or pay a penalty for not doing so, an employee can just not show up anymore without notice and pay no penalty. If a business is in financial difficulty, the employer has to bear the brunt of it, yet when times are good they get chastised for not sharing the good fortune around. The employer takes all the risk!

I've had employees just tell me they won't be in the next day, regardless of what work or commitments we have and think nothing of it, want to come in late, but go home on time or early. Leave in the middle of our busiest time of year on one day or no notice.

We are now extremely choosy who we hire and if they don't come up to our standard we don't keep them. We have ended up with a highly motivated, well paid, ethnically diverse, conscientious group of employees who enjoy what they do. They work hard, look after us and we look after them.

Employers can and do choose who they hire and keep, as employees choose who they work for. There will always be unscrupulous employers, as there will be idle and unreliable employees, in any country. I've certainly found discrimination more prevalent in the UK than have ever found it to be in Canada.

snowshoveller

yes you are right, I paid just over 4 euros for a can (33cl) of beer in paris last week, and 1.40 euros for a litre of "sans plomb" (actually i bought many litres of gas!)

Bikini bottom uk

I have to agree, born and raised in the UK, we have grown up with alot more racism..blatant in -your-face and other wise....hence when we researched moving to Canada to give our kids the opportunity to just be themselves and not a colour first....we had always heard how tolerant Canada was (a word I really don't like, as people we should just 'be' and not have to make a special effort to tolerate other races) and admittently we have had very positive experiences too. But my OH in particular has had it rough. We had originally come out here on a WP whilst our PR was being processed. The WP with the employer was all done by phone and email. So obviously, hubby having a very proper W. London accent, his perspective employer assumed he was white English...we didnt even think we should have to say otherwise, anyway needless to say on hubby's arrival to his new job, he introduced himself to his new boss.....it is an understatement to say the blood drained from his face....hubby was so shocked and disappointed by this response...the employer honored his 1yr contract...but it was a year from hell, hubby wanted to leave then. But I told him to hang in there it..it will get better. But then this happened and we are just like 'wow'.
I'm not sure if it's the industry he's in or what, he's in Architecture.????

And yes we should call the media..if only to expose other companies like these. I know our story is not isolated, talking to other Black famlies and professionals they all have a similar story to tell..I think if you spoke candidly to minorities you know, about this subject, you'll be shocked.

triumphguy

It sounds like your OH's employer is a bigot. You shouldn't have to change your life 'cos of someone's bigotry. Good luck, and try to have a good Christmas.

dboy

i don't doubt there are issues of racism, subtle or otherwise, there is the world over, but I'm not convinced in the slightest that it's a major or contentious issue here, although I'm sure it seems that way to you.

bsmith

....Gosh, that could so easily have come over as really dismissive, patronizing and condescending - But no, I think you got the tone bang on there. Well done you!

dboy

yes you have a point, i was not meaning to come off that way, was trying to say, i don't see vancouver has being known for a racist place, but know that it happens, but understand 100 percent that the poster would feel that way, i would.

Sometimes on-line things come across not how you mean.

I leave being condescending to you.

johnh009

I think the reality of the situation is that Canada is not as good as it was, at least since I came here in 1987, and from a material standpoint. There is probably now, no benefit in coming here from Europe. Those who came in the fifties and sixties did extremely well.

However, for those seeking adventure or life experience, there is nothing lost in spending at least part of your life in a different country and enjoying what that country has to offer.

Good thread that provokes different opinions.

G77

OMG, I'm really disgusted by this, though not entirely surprised..... Despite Canada supposedly being "tolerant", I've heard more extreme racism here than I ever heard in the UK, though it's not out in the open. Almost feel ashamed to be white English and just accepted here without any of the BS....

flat to the mat

OMG, don't give us that sort of crap.Canada is a place where you can express your true self without the P.C. police pouncing on you,unless you happen to live in ONT/BC,then you're already doomed.Fortunately us prairie folk keep stringing the bastards up as soon as they cross the border.

johnh009

You may have a good point here. I live in Ontario and the PC drives me crazy. People relate to people as they find them and government interference is not constructive.

Bikini bottom uk

I totally understand where you are coming from DB and no, I also don't think Vancouver is a 'Racist' place...but it's here and probably more than people realise, and I guess why should you, if it doesnt directly effect you then I guess you wouldn't see it. The reality is, racism is everywhere, in every community. It's ugly and unneccesary and just leaves a bad taste in your mouth, especially when we came with such high expectations, maybe wrongfully.

I think one of the problems is that the subject is not discussed, so people are under the impression that it is not prevalent. All of these comments have been really interesting and informative..thank you guys for taking the time to write your views

dboy

yes I think racism at some level is a fact of life. I never hear anyone here though, making the snide comments that you do in the UK and that ever present layer of racism does not seem to exist here. I was much more aware of it in the UK and the US when I lived there than I am here. Other than the odd dig at Asian drivers, I don't ever hear any racist put downs here, can not say the same for blighty, sadly I'm thinking of my family when I write this.

Hope things turn out better. It really bothers me when I hear things like this.

Matt_Geo

well living in vancouvers definately going to be expensive chap, its the equivalent of London, UK. I daresay a pint in london averages around the 4 GBP mark, but there you have to deal with a whole other can of worms. Anyhow I hope things work out for the original thread author.

Londonuck

Difference is that London has loads of bargains to be had cos of the amount of people hence competition. I find it very frustrating here in Ireland cos its the opposite. It took us all heading up to spend our hard earned in Northern Ireland to make them drop the prices down here. 4 pound a pint? Not yet mate. 4.80E a pint here though!